Draft-gear.



J. M. ROHLFING.

DRAFT GEAR.

APPLICATION TILED AUG. 10, 1910.

3 1 9 1 00 y 1 n J a e t n e t a D L T E E E s S T E E H a 2 J. ROHLFING.

DRAFT GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10, 1910.

Patented July 8, 1913.

2 SHEBTS-SHBET 2.

. improvements in draft-ri rowsso.

UNITED STATES PQTENT OFFICE.

some a. ROHLFING, or ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, Assmnoa T0 mansion: CAR AND FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OENEW: JERSEY.

DRAFT-GEAR.

Specification of Letters Batent,

Draft-Gear, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact descri .tion, such as will enable others skilled in t e art to which it appertains to. make and to use the same, ref erence being ."had to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the pr fer form of the invention, though it is to be understood that, the invention is not limited to the exact; details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof will occur to persons skilled in the art. v

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal view taken on line l l of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a view taken approximately on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken on line 3-4, Fig. 1. Fig. t is a similar section on line 4-4, Fig, 1. Fig." 5. is a diagrammatical v1ew, showing opera tive position of parts.

This invention relates to new and useful gging of the friction type, wherein-draft 81118 are utilized as carrying members and the friction elements are supported between the draft sills in such relation that minimum strain is applied to thedraft sill'in the operation of the dcvice. Referring to the parts A A are the draft sills which may be of any convenient form but preferably of rolled channel shape.

B is the drawbar. C the spring or nested springs, as may be desired. I D is the yoke or strap inclosing the opera tive arts.

E- are the draft lugs on the draft sills.

T 1e yoke D is of a general U -shape horizontally disposed, and fitted between the open endgof which is the inner end of a draw-barB. Fitting between the sides of the .oke and of a depth substantially e ual to, the depth of the same and suitabl diastened thereto is a housing, shown in ig. 1 to be a hollow' casting, the front end of which abuts the inner end of thedraw-haa r B, and is formed into a front pe ket F haw ing laterally disposed openings, each en} in facing the adjacent sill A and ri ging a ousing for the inner endsbf the Q7 4 links 2,, her naf de ibed Simi dr)" the rear end of the housing fits between the sides and contacts with the crotch .of the yoke and-is formed similar to the front vpocket F to constitute a rear pocket F for Patented July 8, 1913.

the rear links 2. Intermediate thefpockets F,,F' is the spring C which abuts at each. end against one of the longitudinally movable transversely extending friction blocks orffollowers b b which in operation-contact with the transversely moving friction'wedge members a a a a as hereinafterdescribed.

Extending longitudinally and filling the gap between the follower stops E E at each side of the device are socket plates or cast-' ings 1, connected at each end by means of links 2 with the front and rear ockets F F, pins 3 being provided for t at purpose. Each of the socket plate members'l is provided with suitable sockets opening in- I wardly in which sockets-are received the enlarged or relatively angular outer ends of the wedges a a which wedges "extend inwardly as is best shown :in Fig. 2 toward th longitudinal axis of. the device there be-" ing a gap or space t between the inner ends of the said wedges a a into which projects the widest portion of. the intermediate friction blocks or followers-bl). against which. i

in turn bears the spring C above-referred to, the said plates serving aswedge guides and retaining means permitting longitudinal movementand movementof said wedges in operation '85 causing transverse whereby, with the yoke, the operative parts i are supported in coiiperative relation. The members 1 are proyidedwith enlargements Sat each end in which are seated the pins 3.

of the links 2 and'between the enlargements 5 said nembers 1 are provided with top and bottom flanges 6.7 and "intermediate stiffening ribs 8 which extend longitudinallyof the device, each casting or-guide. plat .1 i

being free to move' transversely or inwardly from the draft sills A when impelled by the links 2 during butfingor pulling, and the flanges 6-7 are widened inwillfdlywas shown by the dotted lines'8 in-Ei 2to provide the seats necessary for t angular heads of the friction members a a.

The followers or friction members I) b are provided with embossments 9 which rfgrve 11S seatsj fqrfthe spri s C ah vare- 7 red towhilethe opposite es of the said blocks 6 .bflage relatively irusto pyramida td pr'dvide on the outer sides thereof i ing surfaces for the blocks v shaped ends ofthe friction wedges a a are a a with inclined plane surfaces directed inwardly against which the inclined or wedge driven in the operation of the device.

In operation, the actionis as.follows: In buffing the drawbar B is driven inwardly as indicated by the arrow in Fig.2 thereby impinging the front pocket F and carrying the yoke D together with its attached pocket F rearwardly, at which time the angular positions of the links 2 will be changed,

thereby drawing inwardly the plates 1 and crowding the friction members a. 0; inwardly to the extent of the inward movement of the side members 1 at which time friction will be developed between the forward faces of the wedges a and the inner face of the pocket "Falso between the rearward faces of the members a and the forward face of the friction block b. Likewise there will be some longitudinal travel of the wedges a as indicated in the 'diagrammatical view Fig. 5. At the opposite, or rear, end of the device, friction will be developed between the wedges a and the-block 6, also between the rear-faces of the castings or socket plates 1 and the draft lugs E. As thedrawbar continues to move inwardly, the friction is increased, owing to the compression of the spring'C but the gap 4 being limited and the inward travel of the socket plates 1 likewise being limited, it is evident that before excessive compression of the springs can take place, the members will come to a stop thus avoiding such excessive compression of the spring as willcause it to set. In

pulling, the condition isreversed and therear pocket will impinge against thewedges (1.. which will contact with the block 12-, compressing the spring C and forcingthe block 1) into contact with the wedges a, thereby moving the wedges longitudinally but pulling inwardly the guide or socket plates 1 and forcing said wedges to travel transversely of the device.

Extending transversely above the operative members of the draft gear are channels 10 which are connected by means of their upturned web portions 11 and rivets 12 with the draft sills A as is best shown in 7 Figs. l34, the channels serving to tie the draft sills together.

What I claim is l 1. In a draft gear, the combination comprising transversely movable socket plates,

an intermediate spring, transversely 6X- tending. friction blocks forming followers for said spring, and transversely movable friction wedges disposed between said blocks and plates. l

2. In a draft gear, the combination comprising transversely movable socket plates,

an intermediate spring, transversely extending friction blocks forming followers .forv said spring, and pairs of transversely movable friction wedges co-aciing with said plates and actuated by said friction blocks to restore the plates to their normal position.

3. In a draft gear, the combination comprising transversely movable socket plates, an intermediate spring, transversely extending friction blocks disposed at opposite ends of said spring, pairs of transversely movable friction members engaging said plates, said blocks and members having coact-ing beveled faces for causing transverse movement of said plates.

4. In a draft gear, the combination com- 7 prising transversely movable socket plates,

an intermediate .spring, transversely ex tending friction blocks forming followers said plates longitudinally and transversely movable by the action of said blocks when moved by said spring and means connecting said plates. Y

5. In a draft gear, the combination comprising transversely movable socket plates, an intermediate spring, transversely extending friction blocks controlled by said-spring, longitudinally T movable friction wed controlled by said blocks and spring or.

causing transverse movement of said plates and wedges. I

6. In a draft gear, the combination com prising transversely movable socketniembers, longitudinally mova le transverse friction blocks, transversely movable friction wedges constituting an engagement be tween said blocks and, members and means for connecting said socket members. f j

7 In a draft gear, the combination com prising transversely movable socket -mem for said spring, friction wedgescontrolling bers, longitudinally movable transverse friction blocks, transversely movable friction wedges engaging said members, said blocks and wedges having "co-acting means for transferring the longitudinal movement'of the blocks into transverse movement-of the wedges when the wedges and blocks are returning to their normal position, and means for moving said wedges and blocks longitudinally.

8. In a. draft gear, the combination com:

prising transversely movable socket ,menibers, longitudinally movable transverse fric-' tion blocks, transversely movable friction wedges disposed between said members and 7 one end of said blocks and engaging said members, said wedges'and blocks having coacting'beveled faces, and means for. causinglongitudinal movement of said wedges and.

blocks and, through said beveled faces, causing transverse movement of said socket members.

9. In a draft gear, the combination with a single spring, of friction blocks and wedges forming friction producing elements controlled by said spring, and transversely ments, a coupler, and a continuous connec-v tion' between said coupler and guide for moving said guides transversely.

11. In a draft gear, longitudinally disposed and relatively fixed wedge guides, wedges, an intermediate spring, friction blocks between said guides and between said spring and the wedges, in combination with means for causing transverse travel of said guides.

12. In a draft gear, transversely movable, longitudinally extending wedge guide and supporting means, wedges disposed between said means adjacent oppo-site ends thereof and interposed cooperating friction producing elements in engagement with and actuating said wedges on the release movement of the elements to their normal position.

13. In a draft gear, transversely spaced and longitudinally fixed combined guides and wedge socket members, in combination with means for moving said members transversely, and cooperating friction producing elements interposed between said members adapted to oppose the transverse movement of said members.

14. In a draft gear, the combination comprising transversely movable socket plates, a spring disposed between said plates, a transversely extending friction block engaging one end of said spring, and a trans versely movable friction wedge disposed between said block and one of said plates.

In a draft gear, the combination of spaced apart sills, a pair of spaced socket plates disposed between said sills and movable transversely thereof, a yoke disposed between said plates and link connections between each of said plates and said yoke, and

transversely movable friction elements disposed-between each of said plates and said yoke.

16. In a draft gear, the combination of transversely movable socket plates, a yoke disposed between said plates, link connections between each of said plates and yoke, and resiliently controlled means disposed between said plates opposing inward movement of the same.

transversely movable socket plates, a yoke disposed between said plates, a connection between each of said plates and yoke whereby a longitudinal ,movement of said yoke will move said plates transversely, friction said plates, and means acting on said elements tending to move the same against the plates.

18. In a draft gear, draft sills having thereto, a pair of transversely movable plates, each plate fitting between the lugs member disposed between said plates, a connection between each of said plates and said member adaptedto draw said plates toward said member when the latter is moved in either direction from its. normal position, and friction producing means disposed between said plates and in engagement therewith adapted to oppose the movement pf said member. i

19. In a draft gear, a pair -of longitudinally disposed and relativelv fixed plates, a longitudinally movable member disposed between and adapted to limit the inward movement of said plates, a connection between each of said plates and said member adapted to draw said plates toward said member cushioning the movement of said platestoward said member.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

I J OHN M. 'ROHLFING.

Witnesses CHARLOTTE MITZE, J. H. BRUEGGEMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

w g shington, D. 0.

17. In a draft gear,'t.he combination of elements disposed between and engaging longitudinally spaced apart draft lugs fixed on one of the sills, a longitudinally movable when the latter is actuated, and means 

